Maureen McCann Maureen McCann CE 394 Term CE 394 Term

Project Project November 30, November 30,

20102010

GIS in Hydrology GIS in Hydrology Through a Through a

Broadcast MediumBroadcast Medium

Central Texas = Flash Flood Alley

Source: The Flood Safety Education Project

What’s the worst type of

weatherin Texas?

Turn Around, Don’t Drown!Turn Around, Don’t Drown!

News 8 Austin Severe News 8 Austin Severe Weather CoverageWeather Coverage

•Severe T’storm and Tornado Severe T’storm and Tornado WARNINGSWARNINGS

•Significant Flood EventsSignificant Flood Events

•Maintain “first on, last off” coverageMaintain “first on, last off” coverage

•Meteorologist(s) in the studio, Meteorologist(s) in the studio, reporters in the fieldreporters in the field

•Social media interactionSocial media interaction

Our Coverage AreaOur Coverage Area

What do we use now?What do we use now?• National Weather Service, NOAA National Weather Service, NOAA

BranchesBranches• LCRALCRA• CoCoRAHsCoCoRAHs• News 8 Weather WatchersNews 8 Weather Watchers• WSI SuiteWSI Suite

What would be useful?What would be useful?• Accessing GIS data in TV graphics to Accessing GIS data in TV graphics to

enhance coverage and provide enhance coverage and provide viewers with pertinent informationviewers with pertinent information

GIS

WISH LISTWISH LIST• Collaborated with Dr. Maidment, Collaborated with Dr. Maidment,

Chief Meteorologist, ESRI Chief Meteorologist, ESRI professionals, held workshops…professionals, held workshops…

• How could we combine…How could we combine…

NEXRAD/Precip dataNEXRAD/Precip data• Time-based estimatesTime-based estimates• Manually corrected rainfall estimatesManually corrected rainfall estimates

Source: CRWR Group Maps, ArcGIS.com

NEXRAD data sitesNEXRAD data sites

Source: NWIS precip map, Scoffield

Ground ObservationsGround Observations• Surface dataSurface data• ASOS/AWOS sitesASOS/AWOS sites• CoCoRAHsCoCoRAHs• Mesonet data Mesonet data (LCRA, Brazos River, (LCRA, Brazos River, Guadalupe River, Guadalupe River, Brushy Creek, etc)Brushy Creek, etc)

Source: Upper Brushy Creek WCID

Source: West Texas Mesonet

Flood InfoFlood Info• Stream gauges: Stream gauges:

LCRA, USGS, other LCRA, USGS, other water authoritieswater authorities

• Inundation levelsInundation levels• Hypothetical flood Hypothetical flood

scenarios scenarios • Flood history/ Flood history/

comparable eventscomparable events

Source: CRWR Group Maps, ArcGIS.com

Real-Time Data AccessReal-Time Data Access

Low Water CrossingsLow Water Crossings• Usually prone sitesUsually prone sites• Alternative routesAlternative routes• Road closuresRoad closures• TXDot dataTXDot data

Source: Hays County Online

Low Water Crossings: Low Water Crossings: Travis, Hays Co.Travis, Hays Co.

Emergency ResponseEmergency Response• Live data from emergency response Live data from emergency response

showing where rescues are occurring showing where rescues are occurring (from real-time fire call data?)(from real-time fire call data?)

• Available shelters?Available shelters?

TXDOT Mapping DataTXDOT Mapping Data

Social MediaSocial Media• Twitter/FacebookTwitter/Facebook• #hashtags relevant to the weather #hashtags relevant to the weather

event (#TXwx, #weather, #Hermine event (#TXwx, #weather, #Hermine etc)etc)

• tweets by geographical proximitytweets by geographical proximity• Photos/live web cams where available, Photos/live web cams where available,

geotaggedgeotagged• News 8 Weather stationsNews 8 Weather stations

Next StepsNext Steps• Combine all of these ideas into a Combine all of these ideas into a

usable interface – toggle between data usable interface – toggle between data sourcessources

• Written in one language… WaterML?Written in one language… WaterML?• Merge GIS to TV Weather Vendor Merge GIS to TV Weather Vendor

graphics (WSI, Weather Central, graphics (WSI, Weather Central, AccuWeather etc)AccuWeather etc)

• Use on air!Use on air!

For More InformationFor More Information

http://news8austin.com/weatherhttp://news8austin.com/weather

Thank you!Thank you!Maureen McCannMaureen McCann

AMS Certified Broadcast MeteorologistAMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist

mmccann@news8austin.com mmccann@news8austin.com

@maureenmccann8@maureenmccann8